WITH Mubarak teetering on the brink, I hope I haven’t got the Prime Minister of France, Francoi Hosni Fillon and his wife Penelope into trouble – because of a Welsh-French-Egyptian link.

About three years ago, Penelope Fillon did a wonderful job for Wales by throwing open the doors of the Hotel Matignon, France’s 10 Downing Street, for a reception for French investors in Wales.

The Prime Minister had a key speech to make and a key vote to win in the Assemblée Nationale that night. His backache was playing him up something rotten too but he was on a three-line whip from his wife so he came to the reception as well.

In my speech to thank his wife for her hospitality, I happened to mention that Mme Fillon, who comes from Llanover, between Pontypool and Abergavenny, was a member of “le club le plus exclusif du monde”.

That was the club of Welsh wives of Presidents and Prime Ministers of important countries.

The only other member of this club, I said, was Suzanne Mubarak, spouse of the Egyptian President, who comes from Pontypridd, (Suzanne that is, not Hosni).

I don’t think the Fillons were previously aware of that particular Welsh factoid.

Now the French press have gone to town on the French PM because he had a private family holiday as guests of the Mubarak regime between Christmas and New Year. Even though they flew out in a French Air Force plane, they refunded the cost themselves.

President Sarkozy always gets a bad press – the French Prime Minister almost never.

Francois Fillon has been regarded as the ultimate safe pair of hands, with an absolutely Teflon-coated reputation. Till now, that is.

I hope he’s not cursing my “exclusive club” remarks of a few years ago.